However, the lamp wasn't bright enough, and I didn't have access to a backlit desk. Then it hit me; my laptop has a backlight, a very bright backlight in fact.
How to use your screen as a light box:
- Turn your laptop so that the screen is horizontal.
- Prop up the body so the screen stays flat.
- Set your desktop to solid white, or open a solid white window. If you set the desktop color, hide everything else.
- Make sure the screen brightness is turned all the way up.
[crarko adds: I've used an iPhone as a flashlight, but would not have thought of using a laptop as a light table. Clever idea.]

